Justice and Freedom
by Ki-hori-e-te-ao
Summary: The day Portgas. D Ace became a Marine officer in training, was also the day that Monkey. D Luffy received the second scar on his heart.
1. Chapter 1

The day Portgas. D Ace became a Marine officer in training, was also the day that Monkey. D Luffy received the second scar on his heart. Not that the fourteen-year-old knew that.

That oddly rainy day near Mt. Colubo, was one of the worst days in Luffy's life thus far, preceded solely by an unfortunate turn of events that happened many years prior; which involved a tall blue hat, a toothy grin and an explosion. Alas, the concept of dread were lost to Luffy and if asked, the only thing he could say about that horrid day, is that it was wrong.

Since they were young, Ace, Luffy and a certain blonde haired relative of theirs had all wished to become pirates. They all wished for the freedom of adventure, their bodies itched for the sea. But after the aforementioned turn of events and a mystery conversation with Jii-chan, as Luffy dubbed it, Ace had strived to become a Marine officer. The same people who captured and arrested the type of people Luffy wished to surpass.

With sudden and uncharacteristic wisdom, Luffy knew that sooner or later he and his big brother would undoubtedly become enemies. Of course Luffy could become a Marine officer as well. Follow his brother and grandfathers footsteps. But he didn't want to, because he, Monkey. D Luffy, would become Pirate King. No amount of bond, no matter how strong, could change that, not even the fourteen-years his Jii-chan spent drilling the Marine prospect into his head.

Because Luffy knew, without a doubt that even though being a Marine was pretty cool, they weren't as cool as Pirates. Marines had long, boring mystery rules that he'd need to follow, but pirates? Pirates are free, no matter what, and the thing Luffy always dreamt of, was freedom.

So despite the cool sides of being a Marine, being Pirate King is better. Which means, Luffy will become Pirate King, even if he had to fight tooth and nail for it against his family, he'd succeed.

Smiling at the thought, Luffy walks to Makino loudly demanding food. Makino replies happily, eager for the change in mood.

Luffy peers over at the meat Makino was frying, drool dripping from his mouth and promise ringing in his head.

'The next time we meet Ace, I'll be strong enough to beat you, I promise you that!'

"Meshi, meshi, meshi!" Luffy cheers for food, sticky fingers stretching towards the hot food.

Unfortunately, this was one of the many times Luffy had made his stomach decide his actions. Not a good idea.

"I-I-I-itai !" Luffy howls, holding his burnt fingers away from the lit oven.

Laughing at Luffy-kun's endearing, if not exasperating antics, Makino tends to the burn and scolds her student softly.

* * *

Somewhere out on the warm East Blue seas, Garp lays a calloused hand upon his grandchild's head.

"Thank you for listening, Ace," he murmurs as the officers behind him laugh while keeping watch.

"I didn't do it for you, Kuso-jiji," he curses looking down moodily.

Laughing loudly at the exclamation, Garp proceeds to ruffle Ace's hair with his fingers of love. Suffice to say a teary-eyed Ace proceeds to glare up at his grandfather, screaming profanities soon after. Before the scene could escalate however, the two promptly fell asleep causing many officers to question their Vice-Admirals less than normal family.

Sweat dropping they wisely decide to ignore the development in favour of checking the winds and planning when and where to stop.

* * *

 **A small Ace Marine Au, because I can. So I did. There's a little more to come, i.e the mystery conversation, but this isn't gonna become a story, so after chapter two, that's it. Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sabo's funeral was held two days prior to Garp's return. Bar Luffy and Dadan, no one else came. Mayor Wood-Slap gave slight consolation, but didn't attend the funeral and Dadan's family just couldn't cope with their crying boss or the pain in their hearts, so they locked themselves away. To his knowledge Ace has refused to go.

When Garp arrives at Dadan's house, he expects more. More fighting, squabbling, crying and most certainly more people. All he get's is a solemn Dadan who's eyes accuse him of treachery and a silent, frowning Luffy. Realising something was up, Garp doesn't make a spectacle of his arrival. But still Dadan pierces him with a look he'd seen many times before, a look criminals gave him often; a look of fear and anger. Never before had it affected him so.

"What do you want, Garp?"

Her voice is oozing with disdain -once upon a time he'd laugh off this behavior- she doesn't reek of alcohol and that is what hurts him the most. Because at least drunk, he'd know she'd never mean any offence, sober had everything she said multiply in hurt by tenfold.

"I came to see how Luffy and Ace were holding up."

Fire-filled eyes scream more accusations, alight with anger and betrayal, but her tone is smooth and polite. Nothing like what he knew of her, nothing like what he expected of her.

"They are holding up Garp, that is all I can say."

Luffy looks up from the corner he was laying in, but the usual fear, dread and excitement he felt at seeing his grandpa is non-existent. All that he sees are blank eyes and taking the hint, Garp leaves. But not before patting Luffy's head with a gentle smile and bowing lightly to his old friend. No matter how idiotic Garp is, he knows not to anger a mother facing grief.

* * *

Looking for Ace isn't difficult, when all that separates him from the rest of the word are some flimsy slumps of wood. What is difficult, is garnering the young boys attention. He is hollow and unresponsive, with eyes that gaze yet don't see and breath staggeringly shallow. Garp has seen those signs, those expressions far too many times to keep track of, it's the look of some one suffering an unseen pain. The look kills him.

Garp could feel the emotions swallowing him whole. For his family, he'd always feel too much, yet fail too often. He wishes a lot of things in that instant, wishes he said I love you and I'm proud of you more often to Ace, Sabo and Luffy. Wishes he had retired years before, instead of staying away from home. Garp has so much more he wishes to say, but like always, the words can't form.

Blinking with regret, Garp sighs, laying a tender and warm hand upon Ace's head. The boy doesn't acknowledge the touch at all.

"Ace," he half whispers to the unmoving child.

"Ace," he repeats louder.

Still, Ace doesn't move, his eyes transfixed on an empty spot his brothers once occupied.

Garp runs his fingers down the black locks softly, untangling the knots with little effort. He proceeds to sit gazing in to those dark orbs. Somewhere inside of the big lumbering oaf of a grandfather, his heart cracks under the weight of regret and with measured words and a smidge of haoshoku haki, Garp finally garners Ace's attention.

"Ace, look at me."

Blank eyes meet his and he sighs, stopping himself from further playing with Ace's soft hair and moving his hands to rest firmly on his grandson's tiny shoulders.

"Jiji..." Ace says, his eyes widening.

Now that Ace was facing him, Garp can't form the words he wants to say. But he doesn't need to, because unwillingly Ace's eyes bloom with tears that he can't— that he won't shed and his lips quiver, for a second, Ace is finally the kid he should be. So instead of speaking, Garp does something he hasn't done to Ace since Ace could fit in the length of one arm. He embraces Ace.

Ace struggles against the embrace, his fist flinging wildly. They pelted him a dozen accusations, but Garp endured. He endured the pelting fist staunchly, he doesn't return any of the hits with his own this time. He just holds Ace until the child's body had stopped flinging wildly and instead Ace curled his fist on to Garps floral top.

Slowly Ace's anger subsides, his curled fist shaking softly near a wet patched that appeared on Garp's top.

"Jiji, let go of me," Ace says bitterly.

Garp's grip tightened.

"Jiji, let go of me," he says louder.

Ace's fist trembled-tenfold at Garp's resistance.

"Jiji, let go of me!" He screams, though his white-knuckles clung to his grandfather,"Please... please jiji, I can't- you shouldn't- please..." He muttered angrily.

"No," Garp finally answered.

As the words registered in his head, Ace once again started kicking, his screams shrill.

"Jiji!- Stop it! Let go! Let go!" Ace's fury accumulated swiftly and finally he snapped, screaming the words he desperately wished to be kept a secret,"Let go of me jiji! I'm a monster! I'm a monster and if you stay with me...If you stay with me you'll only get hurt."

Garp could barely keep his composure up, unsure of whether he was furious or in shock.

Ace continued, unable to see his grandfather's inner turmoil.

"I hurt everyone, I wasn't strong enough to save Sabo! I nearly got Luffy killed! I'm just like my father, I'm a monster."

Everything Ace said was directed at himself more so then it was directed at his grandfather, he spoke as though just realising some dreadful secret. His hands that once clung to his grandfathers hideous shirt were now limp by his side and only his grandfather stubborn embrace kept him up. Though that was not for long, for Garp finally put him down.

Only to force Ace's to meet his gaze.

"Ace, listen to me," Garp commands, with no idea on what he should say, he'd always been more of a do-er than a thinker, "You are not a monster, you are not your father and you will never be your father. You are not Gol. D Roger, you are Ace. "

Ace shakes his head, because how can his grandfather not see how wrong he was? He's a monster, everyone said so and Ace wondered why the most important people in his life always forgot that. He's a monster and his mind screams it so deafeningly loud, so why doesn't his family see it?

Seeing the conflict in Ace's eyes, Garp hopes he can reach his grandson before his grandson's flight instincts come alive.

With a gentle yet firm grip, Garp holds Ace's face and he produces a a small, beaming grin.

"You are not a monster Ace, you are not Gol D. Roger's son, you are my grandson, okay? You are Ace, grandson of Garp. Ace, a son doesn't bare the sins of his father, you bare no sins Ace, no matter what anyone says."

Ace's olive eyes flutter downwards and he bites his lips savagely, blood slowly dripping down his face.

Finally after a terse silence, Ace once again meets Garp's gaze.

"D-do you really think so, Jiji?" His question was breathless and his shoulders were slightly less ridged.

Grinning good-heartedly, he nods. Ace feels a fleeting sort of happiness and uncertainty, before finally grinning.

Taking the tentative grin as a sort of agreement, Garp nods to signify the end of this conversation and pulls an unwilling Ace into the forest for some light training, he'd seen a nice big bear that he'd even de-skin if Ace was lucky. Despite his squirming and reluctance to go 'train', Ace felt a sort of lightness in his heart and maybe, just maybe his geezer gramps wasn't too bad of geezer.

* * *

 **I didn't want to finish this for a long time because I couldn't find an ending and the ending I eventually got was sub-par, but eh. Here and thanks for the read.**


End file.
